September 2007

Organizational change is defined as “the alteration and transformation of the form so as to survive better in the environment.” The same can be said of change in human beings. The similarity between human change and organizational change prompts the use of a biological metaphor to describe the organizational life cycle. Just as the life cycle of a human being consists of birth, growth, maturity, decline and death, the life cycle of an organization progresses in like fashion.

When a child is born and for some time thereafter, the infant is very susceptible to changes in his or her environment. The infant is vulnerable and requires a great deal of support to grow, thrive and flourish. Similarly, at start-up (i.e. birth), the organization may not be very tolerant of environmental changes, such as changing regulatory requirements, resource non-availability or lagging political support. The organization will be reliant on support from sources such as investors and financial institutions, the local government and the surrounding community.

During the growth and maturity stage, the infant becomes a child, who then becomes an adult. How the child responds to environmental stimuli will determine how well he or she thrives. In like manner, during these stages the organization reacts to various opportunities and threats. How the organization capitalizes on its opportunities while minimizing its threats will ultimately determine how well it thrives within its environment. When the child becomes and adult, he or she will choose a profession and begin earning a living. The adult is at this point making his or her own way in the world. Perhaps he or she will be supporting a family, as well. As the organization matures and gains strength, it is less reliant on the support structures necessary during the start-up stage. The organization will stand on its own and earn a living for its employees and dividends for its shareholders.

As the adult ages, he or she begins to slow down. With old age, the human being faces new challenges. The human body is not as tolerant of environmental changes as it was during the prime of life. The human being undergoes an inevitable, gradual decline that ultimately results in death. As with its human counterpart, the organization in decline faces new threats and is not able to respond with the strength of its “youth”. Also, the failing organization may not have the resources to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves.

A key difference in the correlation between human and organizational life cycles is that for the human being death is inevitable; for the organization, death may never occur. The declining organization may experience a revival. Just as Chrysler did in the 1980s, the organization may mount a “come-back” and find itself in the position of strength it formerly held. In essence, the organization finds a fountain of youth. Of course, death may not be the end of the story for the human being either. What happens after death may very well relate to the life cycle of the organization, giving more meaning and relevance to the metaphor.

So, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Columbia University and was blasted by the college president, Lee Bollinger. Everyone seems very pleased with the Bollinger victory over the Iranian president and the naysayer’s.

Not me.

Although I agree with the things Bollinger said, I’m not impressed in the least with his delivery. I believe it actually gave Ahmadinejad the upper hand.

One doesn’t invite someone to speak and then open the proceedings with his vilification. Didn’t Bollinger say he was going to “challenge” Ahmadinejad? The fact is, Bollinger’s self-serving diatribe did quite the opposite, and actually served the purposes of Ahmadinejad, who was essentially submarined by the Columbia president. Ahmadinejad’s response to Bollinger says it all,

“At the outset I want to complain a bit from the person who read this political statement against me. In Iran tradition requires that when we demand a person to invite to be a speaker we actually respect our students and the professors by allowing them to make their own judgment and we don’t think it’s necessary before this speech is even given to come in with a series of claims…”

This garnered applause for the Iranian president.

(Advantage Ahmadinejad)

Afterward, Ahmadinejad gave a rambling speech on scholarship, science, the world order imbalance and the American “bullies,” that generated no debate. Even considering Bollinger’s name-calling, Ahmadinejad wasn’t challenged on anything.

I believe this is the outcome Bollinger desired all along. His condemnation of Ahmadinejad was a show-piece and nothing more. Don’t praise Bollinger for taking a hard-line on these issues; he didn’t take Ahmadinejad to task on anything.

MORE: Text of Bollinger’s introductory remarks and the transcript of Ahmadinejad’s opening remarks and moderated Q&A

UPDATE: Sep 26: Wake up America! provides excellent coverage of the Bollinger fall-out! It ain’t pretty!

It’s opening night at the Met and I’m listening to Mary Zimmerman’s production of Lucia di Lammermore. This performance is dedicated to the memory of the late Beverly Sills. The first act has ended and Met radio host Margaret Juntwait is interviewing Marcello Giordani who plays “Edgardo.” He’s talking about his son who doesn’t like opera because it takes his dad away from home so often; his son likes “Hip Hop” and Jay-Lo. (funny).

The first act was wonderful and (in scene 2) Natalie Dessay sang beautifully, the aria “Regnava nel silenzio”. You could feel the emotion, her love for Edgardo, with the sweet lilting rendition of the cabaletta “Quando rapita in estasi”. The Dessay-Giordani duet, their loving farewell to close the act, “Verranno a te sull’ a ure,” was magical, as first Dessay, then Giordani, then both together sang the beautiful melody.

Soon the curtain will rise on Act II…

7:47: Act II has ended. The sextet sounded great (powerful) and I understand the staging was incredible, essentially a wedding photo. (interesting). It’s intermission and Maestro Pla¡cido Domingo has joined Margaret Juntwait; they’re discussing tomorrow night’s performance of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, which Domingo is conducting.

Mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne has just walked in and they’re talking about singing bel canto and how demanding it is. The ability to sing the legato is key (which goes without saying). Domingo departs…

Horne is talking about what she’s been up to and it appears she’s been doing a lot of teaching. She likes working with “young people,” and she says it actually keeps her young. (A feeling that’s important, I suppose, being a grandma and all). Now compliments for Domingo and the work he does (and his interest in) developing young performers.

They’re wrapping up (you can hear the orchestra warming up in the background). It sounds like Horne will be returning to the Met tomorrow night for Roméo et Juliette. Horne departs…

Act III is about to begin and Lucia will soon go mad…

I’m sipping a glass of Glengoyne Scotch, smooth and warm…

9:24:The third act closes and the opera ends to enthusiastic applause. Dessay’s vocal display of “Il dolce suono,” during Lucia’s “mad scene” was dramatic and thrilling. A cadenza as the aria ended added to the sweet sadness of the song. Dessay drew extended applause for her performance during this scene, “brava, brava”.

Giordani’s singing of Edgardo’s heart-wrenching final farewell, “Tu che a Dio spiegasti l’ali,” was excellent. Evidently, Lucia came out as a spirit and encouraged Edgardo to join her in death. A different twist to the end of the opera. I guess it makes sense. After all, Edgardo’s final words are to Lucia.

Now Margaret Juntwait is describing the curtain calls…

Standing ovation!

Fantastic performance!

The Met’s Opening Night Gala is over.

Tomorrow evening is the Opening Night Gala at the Metropolitan Opera! For me, the gala begins at 5:30 p.m., as I tune in to Donizetti’s bel canto masterpiece, Lucia di Lammermoor broadcast live via Sirius “Met Opera Radio”.

Natalie Dessay

With this production, the Met kicks off its 2007-08 season and tomorrow night’s Lucia promises to be absolutely exhilarating! The opera features French soprano, Natalie Dessay, in the title role.

I enjoy Dessay, she has an interesting perspective on opera and the roles she plays. When asked about the intimidation of being the fifty-eighth Lucia at the Met, and following in the performance footsteps of such great sopranos as Lily Pons, Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland, she shrugs it off, “I’m not a musicologist” … “These questions of who sang what, when, how–what can I say?” Needless to say, Dessay doesn’t scour ancient scores to rediscover the embellishments of past performers, rather she focuses on her own intrepretation and performance. Dessay says, “The challenge of Lucia, to me, is to make the character real.” In doing so, she focuses on being musical and theatrical at the same time, which requires great care for the words she sings. Dessay desires to create the illusion of speech in her singing, which is the key to creating the right theatrical performance:

“I try not to remind people that I’m singing instead of speaking. To make that happen, you should sing it really, really well, with deep commitment to the truth, so that you are believable as a character, not as a singer. This is what I want to achieve. Music is not the last goal–it’s a way to achieve the goal which is theater.”

Accompanying Dessay’s Lucia will be Sicilian-born tenor Marcello Giordani, who plays Lucia’s lover Edgardo; Mariusz Kwiecien, her scheming brother Enrico; and John Relyea as the compassionate Raimondo. Maestro James Levine conducts the the performance.

On Tuesday night, another Met performance will be broadcast live over Sirius: Gounod’s sensual interpretation of Shakespeare’s Roméo et Juliette.

Anna Netrebko

Starring the stunning Russian soprano, Anna Netrebko, as Juliette, and tenor Roberto Alagna, as her Roméo. Nathun Gunn will play Romeo’s friend Mercutio, and the incomparable Maestro Plácido Domingo will conduct.

The Met will stage several performances of Roméo et Juliette throughout the season, including their New Year’s Eve gala. Accompanying Netrebko during these performances will be several “high-voltage” Roméos: Roberto Alagna for the first two performances, Joseph Kaiser in his company debut, and Matthew Polenzani for the New Year’s Eve performance. Nathan Gunn and Stéphane Degout will share the role of Mercutio. Rolando Villazón was originally scheduled to star opposite Netrebko, but on the advice of his doctor, has cancelled all performances for the next couple of months. Villazón still remains scheduled to play Roméo during the December 15th matinee performance to be simulcast in movie theaters and recorded for television.

It’s going to be a good week!

Middle East countries riding high on oil revenues are becoming savvy financial players in the global marketplace. According to the WSJ,

“Yesterday saw a burst of activity involving Mideast governments, including a battle between two Persian Gulf emirates over stakes in the London Stock Exchange and a bid by one of them for a stake in Nasdaq Stock Market Inc.”

The Nasdaq deal is part of a larger battle between Dubai and Qatar for increasing control over parts of the world’s stock exchanges. In addition to Nasdaq, the London Stock Exchange Group PLC and OMX AB (a company operating stock exchanges in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and the Baltics) are also involved in the maneuvering.

This deal would give Dubai a 19.9% stake in Nasdaq and buy a 28% stake in the London exchange from Nasdaq. The deal would also result in Nasdaq owning OMX. Qatar’s play involved the spending of $1.36 billion before the market opened to buy 20% of the London exchange. It also spent $470 million during trading hours to buy 10% of OMX.

The WSJ also reports,

While President Bush promised a careful review of the deal, a key legislator, Democrat Barney Frank, said it “doesn’t raise any alarm bells to me.” Rep. Frank, who is chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, noted Nasdaq is a highly regulated entity and “there’s no physical transfer of property” in the proposed deal.

You’ve got to be kidding!

No alarm bells?

We’re talking about selling an interest in our stock exchange to a state that finances terrorism! Dubai is a banking center believed to attract funds from known terrorist groups like Al Qaeda. And Qatar, although more friendly to the U.S., is a safe-haven for terrorists! Qatar provides sanctuary for exiled Islamic terrorists and radical preachers from Algeria, Chechnya, Egypt, Lebanon and the occupied territories.

So, why do these countries have such tremendous buying power? It’s easy to attribute their financial power to the growing price of oil, but why have oil prices skyrocketed? The answer is simple: the devaluation of the U.S. dollar! (today $1 will buy you about £0.50 or €0.70)

The dollar is the world trading currency, which means all goods and services are priced in U.S. dollars. With a U.S. dollar devaluation, the impact on international trade is tremendous. Any country trading with the U.S. will raise their prices in light of this devaluation. This is one reason why oil has peaked at $80 per barrel. Since the dollar is worth less in the world market, oil producers are forced to raise their prices to protect their investment.

Why is our dollar devalued? Two reasons: The budget deficit (spending more than tax revenue collected) and trade deficit (importing more than you’re exporting) are the primary reasons for the US dollar decline today. Currently, the budget deficit is close to $500 billion and the trade deficit is also close to $500 billion. We’re talking $1 trillion in deficits!

What does that mean? No one wants to hold a currency that is declining in value. As the U.S. dollar declines investors will turn to the stronger currencies, such as the British pound and the Euro. Ultimately, it could lead to the collapse of the U.S. economy!

And we’re selling our stock exchange to terrorists…

The Washington Post reports that New York’s Columbia University will not cancel Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s speaking engagement. Many are outraged, including New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn who said, “the idea of Ahmadinejad as an
honored guest anywhere in our city is offensive to all New Yorkers” … and that he is only coming to the city “to spread his hate-mongering vitriol on the world stage.”

(undoubtedly)

Ahmadinejad will arrive to the U.S. on Sunday, September 23, to address the U.N.’s General Assembly. Afterward he’ll be speaking at Columbia University. Columbia University President Lee Bollinger, defending his decision, said the Iranian president has agreed to answer questions about Israel and the Holocaust, and the visit is in keeping with “Columbia’s long-standing tradition of serving as a major forum for robust debate.”

(I doubt Bollinger’s intentions are that pure)

Personally, I don’t have much of a problem with Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia. I believe this will be another opportunity for the world to see this man for the fascist leader he is. Open (and honest) debate is the only way to work through issues. Through debate, we glean understanding. We don’t have to like the messenger or his message, but I would like the opportunity to hear what he has to say and have an opportunity to rebut his assertions. I’m also interested in seeing those among us who coddle this terrorist madman; for these are our true enemies, and more dangerous because they’re “us”.

(of course, if someone were to “pick him off” from the stage, well, I wouldn’t have a problem with that either)

White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto said of Ahmadinejad’s visit to Columbia, “This is a country where people can come and speak their minds” … “It would be wonderful if some of the countries that take advantage of that here allowed it for their own citizens there.”

(true)

Ahmadinejad also wanted lay a wreath at ground zero of the 9/11 attacks. His plans were rightfully derailed! Speaking at Columbia is one thing, but allowing a terrorist to “pay homage” (i.e. gloat) to those whose deaths he endorsed is blasphemous!

MORE:

It appears that in some respects, I’m in the minority of right-of-center thinkers…

Michelle Malkin; Hot Air; Little Green Footballs; The American Pundit; Power Line

Wake up America has a very interesting article illustrating Columbia’s skewed values in inviting Ahmadinejad to speak, yet refusing to allow an ROTC program. The article also cited Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead, observing that…

Socialist influence doesn’t go after the poor or the middle class. It goes after the bored wealthy, those who they can make feel guilty for their wealth, not those who made their money by EARNING it, but more those who INHERITED it. That, and through sufficiently disgusted (and in many cases, disgustING) entertainers who make it “fashionable” (Barbara Streisand comes to mind here for her many causes through the years, as does Jane Fonda).

What better place to indoctrinate young wealthy heirs and heiresses than at the Ivy League colleges and universities they attend?

An excellent point!

The United States Air Force turns 60 today! President Harry S. Truman signed into law the National Security Act of 1947 on July 26, 1947; it established the Department of the Air Force. The Act took effect on September 18, 1947, when the Honorable W. Stuart Symington became the first Secretary of the Air Force.

Although today marks the Air Force’s 60th birthday, its roots actually go back a full 100 years. Our Air Force was actually born in 1907 as the Aeronautical Division of the US Army Signal Corps. The original Air Force consisted of eight balloons and a small dirigible. In 1908, the Army began testing a plane built by the Wright Brothers. Later that year, Thomas Selfridge, the Army’s first pilot, was killed in a plane crash, prompting a redesign of the “Wright Flyer”. In 1909, the Army accepted the redesigned plane, dubbed “Airplane No. 1″.

The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Opera, and New York City Opera’s tribute to Beverly Sills has just ended. What a heartwarming presentation it was! The event was free. Tickets were given away starting at noon today on a first-come, first-served basis at the Met box-office. The event was also broadcast live to Times Square and on Sirius Satellite Radio (my venue). The performers included, Plá¡cido Domingo (accompanied by James Levine on piano), who sang Handel’s “Ombra mai fù”; Anna Netrebko singing Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Nightingale and the Rose”; John Relyea singing Schubert’s “An die Musik”; and Natalie Dessay who sang Strauss’ “IIch wollt ein Sträußlein binden”. The speakers included many of Sills’ family and friends: her brother, Stanley Sills told a story about the famous “pubic” typo in the first edition of Sills’ autobiography, Bubbles; Mayor Mike Bloomberg spoke of Sills’ penchant for fundraising; Met Chairman, Peter Gelb said her departure from the Met had nothing to do with his arrival (which Sills orchestrated); comedian Carol Burnett was especially touching as she relayed that Sills’ was the first person she phoned whenever she came to New York; television journalist, Barbara Walters spoke heartwarmingly about Sills’ daughter “Muffy” who is deaf and suffers from MS; and former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger described the “hide-in-plane-sight” affair the two shared (tongue-in-cheek, of course).

The two-hour event was interspersed with recorded performances by Beverly Sills, including the song, “Just an Octave Apart,” a duo she sang with Carol Burnett.

All of the speakers were sincere and witty; obviously, Beverly Sills had touched each of them in a very special way. Peter Gelb, whom Sills hired, said she would call him after he’d started working and ask, “Peter, is everything perfect?” Today, Gelb’s reply was, “Sadly, Beverly, without you the world of opera is less perfect.”

The U.S. is losing its patience with Iran and is considering strategic strikes against the terrorist nation’s nuclear facilities. It seems that political and military officers are advising Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the diplomatic approach has failed and the Bush administration must actively prepare for a military solution (h/t: FoxNews).

It shouldn’t come as any real big surprise that many in the Bush camp are discussing the implications of taking military action against Iran. In fact, according to insiders, the likely timeframe would be within the next 8 to 10 months. If this timeline holds true, action against Iran would occur after the presidential primaries, but well before the November 2008 elections. (a Republican power-play?)

The likely scenario would be a blockade of Iranian gasoline imports and oil exports or a full-scale aerial bombardment. These next few months are going to be dangerous indeed. With Germany becoming wishy-washy about sanctions, China obstructing action by the UN Security Council and Russia now getting chummy with Iran, it’s increasingly obvious that diplomacy has failed. What’s the next logical step?

I wonder what the shopping is like in Tehran?

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues to be the king of contradictions. The peace-loving Ahmadinejad says that Iran wants “friendship to all,” because as we all know, Iran “love[s] all nations and all human beings.”

Except, of course, if you’re Jewish! According to Ahmadinejad, Isreal “cannot continue its life.”

What else? The Iranian president also says his countrymen don’t believe in war, considering it a “last resort.” Yet, he’s made it abundantly clear that Tehran would fill any power vacuum left by a withdrawal of coalition forces in Iraq.

And what of Iran’s nuclear weapons program? After all, according to Ahmadinejad, “Our bombs are dangerous…” but that isn’t important because Ahmadinejad also says, “[w]e do not need a bomb. We are against bombs, actually. There are many reasons we are against it. From a political point of view, it’s not useful, we think.”

(That’s why the UN has imposed sanctions on Iran’s “peaceful” uranium enrichment program)

It’s hard to believe there are actually people in our government who take this guy seriously! That’s a much more dangerous situation than Iran!

Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin effectively dissolved his country’s government by dismissing Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. This paves the way for Putin to hand-pick his successor after he steps down next year. The odds-on favorite to replace Fradkov was ex-KGB general Sergei Ivanov, who has never indicated he’d run for president; however, in a surprise move, Putin nominated Viktor Zubkov, the head of Federal Financial Monitoring Service, and a close ally of the Russian president.

Although this move paves the way for Zubkov to run for President, the current thinking is he won’t. There’s speculation that this is a play by Putin to retain power himself, either at the end of his term or some later date. Currently, the Russian constitution limits the president to two consecutive terms, and some are suggesting that by nominating Zubkov, Putin is orchestrating a “place-holder” to govern during a temporary period of time in which he won’t be president.

Another possibility is that Putin intends to maintain control by pulling the strings behind the scene after he steps down.

Watch closely…

On September 11, 2001, I was assigned to the 42d Medical Group at Maxwell AFB, AL and was conducting business in the Education and Training Office, when the first plane struck the World Trade Center in NYC. I remember standing, dumbfounded, as the smoke poured out of the building, and watching in horror as a second plane struck the adjacent building. At that point, it was painfully obvious the United States was under attack! I was already moving to the door when the announcement activating the Medical Control Center was broadcast overhead. At that moment, we went to 24-hour operations that would continue for the next two weeks. The base gates were closed and increased security measures were implemented on Air Force bases around the world.

Nothing is the same. The tragic loss of life that continues, exacerbated by the ridiculous (and mind-numbing) politically correct posturing of the Islam apologists in this country! This attitude has gotten more Americans killed than any deployment order given by our military commanders. This attitude has kept us in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is also giving Iran a foothold. This attitude may very well lead to America’s demise. I’m deeply saddened by this thought and incredibly angered by the blind stupidity of so many.

Legendary tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, died of pancreatic cancer yesterday at his home in Modena, Italy. He was 71 years old.

Pavarotti’s manager, Terri Robson, said,

“The Maestro fought a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer which eventually took his life. In fitting with the approach that characterized his life and work, he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness.”

Pavarotti had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. He underwent surgery in July 2006 to remove a cancerous mass; he had also been receiving radiation treatments.

Pavarotti’s death came only one day after becoming the first recipient of the new “Excellence in Italian Culture Award” from the Italian government, the Italian Culture Ministry reported on Tuesday evening. The tenor received the award for promoting Italian culture abroad and within Italy itself. The opera house where he performed for the first time 40 years ago, La Scala opera house in Milan, stated it will organize a singing contest in honor of the Italian tenor.

Following his first professional appearance in 1961, Pavarotti made his Met debut on November 23, 1968, as Rodolfo in La Bohéme opposite Mirella Freni. By the time he gave his farewell performance on March 13, 2004, as Cavaradossi inTosca, he had sung with the company in 378 performances, more than anywhere else in the world.

According to the All Music Guide:

Pavarotti appeared in the first “Live from the Met” broadcast on the PBS network and has been the most consistent draw on that series for years. His outstanding catalogue of recordings on the London (Decca) record label preserves nearly every role he ever performed and will be hard to match for its quality and scope. His charity work has including AIDS benefit concerts and world hunger gala events, as well as his “Pavarotti and Friends” concerts to benefit children, especially in the former Yugoslav states. He also founded a quadrennial contest to identify talented young singers and boost their careers. And, as one of the “Three Tenors,” he has brought operatic singing to a wider popular audience than previously might have been thought possible. In 2003 he released his first solo crossover CD, Ti adoro.

The Met will broadcast the following tribute concerts on Sirius:

• Thursday, September 6: La Fille du Régiment - Donizetti (Jan. 6, 1973) Richard Bonynge; Joan Sutherland, Regina Resnik, Luciano Pavarotti, Fernando Corena
• Friday, September 7: Il Trovatore - Verdi (Jan. 21, 1989) James Levine; Aprile Millo, Fiorenza Cossotto, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, Paul Plishka
• Saturday, September 8: L’ Elisir d’Amore - Donizetti (Apr. 29, 1989) Marcello Panni; Kathleen Battle, Luciano Pavarotti. Gino Quilico, Paul Plishka
• Sunday, September 9: Tosca - Puccini (Apr. 1, 1995) Daniel Oren; Elizabeth Holleque, Luciano Pavarotti, Juan Pons
• Monday, September 10: Rigoletto - Verdi (February 10, 1973) James Levine; Reri Grist, Joann Grillo, Luciano Pavarotti, Ingvar Wixell, John Macurdy
• Tueday, September 11: Un Ballo in Maschera - Verdi (Jan. 26, 1997) James Levine; Deborah Voigt, Young-Ok Shin, Barbara Dever, Luciano Pavarotti, Juan Pons
• Wednesday, September 12: Luisa Miller - Verdi (Jan. 23, 1982) Nello Santi; Katia Ricciarelli, Bianca Berini, Luciano Pavarotti, Leo Nucci, Paul Plishka, John Cheek
• Thursday, September 13: I Puritani - Bellini (Mar. 13, 1976) Richard Bonynge; Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, James Morris [first time on Sirius radio]

Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón criticized the U.S. for our “humiliating treatment” of illegal aliens (h/t: memeorandum). Although he also pointed out the pending crisis in his own country unless more jobs are created, education is improved, tax evaders are punished and an alternative fuel is found, he still had the nerve to blame the U.S. for the plight of his people!

President Calderón said,

“I again express an energetic protest for the unilateral measures, taken by the Congress and the government of the United States, that exacerbate the persecution and the humiliating treatment of undocumented Mexican workers.”

(”undocumented workers” = “illegal aliens”)

He also categorically rejects our construction of a “wall on our common border,” saying the U.S. is “insensitive” in the treatment of foreign workers who strengthen our economy.

(and bleed our welfare system, break our laws and challenge our sovereignty!)

As if this wasn’t enough (and what really galls me), Calderón also had encouraging words for illegals everywhere: “Mexico does not end at the border” … “Wherever there is a Mexican, Mexico will be there.”

To “el Presidente”: The United States is not Mexico! Every Mexican who enters my country illegally is a criminal and should be treated as such. I reject your open-borders position and demand that you shore-up your own country. When you eliminate the corruption within your borders, maybe your people will quit trying to escape.

MORE: Hot Air (here and here); Wake up America; Right Wing Nuthouse; Michelle Malkin; Blue Crab Boulevard; Flopping Aces

A couple of weeks ago a teenager unlocked the iPhone, but a group of anonymous software developers just did him one better! These folks have accomplished a complete software hack, meaning one doesn’t have to open the case to unlock it (the teenager’s method required the iPhone’s disassembly). Their new software will allow users to use the iPhone on systems around the world, not just AT&T.

No prices have been set yet, but the programers intend to sell the software via their website: www.iphonesimfree.com.

Is this legal? I believe the answer is yes and no.

The law: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was enacted in 1998 and provides penalties for developing hardware or software that overrides copy protection schemes for digital media. Although many consider the DMCA as an infringement to freedom, its still the law of the land.

The application: Just like any other piece of code, the iPhone’s firmware is “intellectual property” protected by the Copyright Act. Circumventing the access controls to get at the code is a violation of the DMCA. Now the Copyright Office issued six exemptions to the DMCA last year, one of which allows consumers to unlock their cellphones “for the sole purpose of lawfully connecting to a wireless telephone communication network.”

The reality: I’m no lawyer, but it appears that to unlock the iPhone for one’s personal and private use is legal. However, to sell software to unlock the iPhone is not legal (neither is selling unlocked iPhones on eBay).

Of course, that’s just my opinion. It’ll be interesting to see how this all pans out.